We recommend to the government that Belchatow be one of the places that will be very seriously analyzed for the location of the second nuclear power plant in Poland, said Dariusz Marzek, president of PGE, on Wednesday. He emphasized that this is, among other things, the competence of the people of the region and the energy infrastructure.
On Wednesday, the head of the Polish energy group attended the Central Miners' Day at the Academy in Belchatow, where PGE Górnictwo i Energetyka Obywatelznalna (GiEK) has its headquarters. It is the largest producer of lignite and the largest producer of electricity in the country, accounting for more than 30%. energy demand in Poland.
Central celebration of Miners' Day – Barbórka 2024 in BelchatowPAP
PGE recommends Belchatov
In the context of the upcoming energy transformation, the president of PGE announced that the company is talking to the government and recommends that the area around Belchatov and the traditional assets that will be from energy transformation should be considered and analyzed in the context of energy deployment. the second stage of the construction of nuclear power plants in Poland.
– We are talking with the government and we recommend to the government that Belchatow is one of the places that will be seriously analyzed for the location of the second nuclear power plant in Poland, which will be built after the Choczew power plant. We are sure that the competence of the people of Belchatow region and the energy infrastructure should be taken very seriously when choosing the location of the next nuclear power plant in Poland, emphasized Dariusz Marzek.
The head of PGE noted that the location of the nuclear power plant in Belchatov will mean the continuation of energy operations in this region for decades to come. – Here are people, energy competences, tradition and energy infrastructure. Many things are needed to place this type of generation sources here, and we firmly believe that all these elements should be taken into account, – he said.
“Here are people, skills and traditions”
The head of MAP Yakub Yavorovski also took part in the event on the occasion of the central celebration of Miners' Day in Belchatov, pointing to the energy transformation planned by the government and calling for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belchatov region. .
Jaworovsky admitted that it is difficult for him to imagine that the plan for the development of nuclear energy in Poland does not provide for the placement of another power station in Belchatow. – Such an analysis is absolutely necessary, because this is one of the places that definitely has strong advantages. I think this will be taken into account in the further review, he added.
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“Only convert” in Poland
In turn, the head of PGE GiEK Jacek Kaczorowski noted in his speech that although the future of the system is seen in renewable energy sources, lignite still plays a key role in ensuring its sustainability.
“Until coal is replaced by sources that guarantee stable energy production, the work of our conventional units will remain unaffected,” he said.
He admitted that the future of the Belchatov complex could focus on renewable and nuclear energy. – I appeal to the people in power to support and act for a just change. I appeal to the trade unions to continue negotiations. I appeal to all of us to remember that changes cannot be made at the expense of social peace, he emphasized.
In an interview with the media, Kaczorowski noted that during the academy, the Minister of State Assets and the President of PGE made declarative remarks related to the start of analytical work to determine whether Belchatov is the right place for the construction of a nuclear power plant. power station.
– Talk about seismic, tectonic and hydrological considerations for the assets we have. Belchatov has a capacity of 5.5 GW. It has enough water to accommodate a 3 GW nuclear power plant in the first phase. Belchatov has status and social consent. Belchatov corresponds to all its social and technological advantages, he explained.
He added that a positive decision on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belchatov region means the continuation of production activities in the place of the current mining and energy complex, but on the basis of nuclear energy.
Workers of trade unions want a nuclear power plant in Belchatov
In November, about 30 trade unions of mines and power plants in Belchatov and Turov appealed to Prime Minister Donald Tusk to take measures to build a nuclear power plant in Belchatov region.
According to trade unions, the reasons for placing a nuclear power plant in the Belchatov complex include: the existing electrical network around Belchatov; road and railway transport network; availability of cooling water for nuclear facilities; developed areas with complete infrastructure, which have been associated with industrial and cultural activities for years; the possibility of using the existing infrastructure of a coal block to build a nuclear block; the potential of working with engineering and technical workers; greater social acceptance in industrialized areas under conditions of decarbonization.
The current version of the Polish Nuclear Energy Program (PPEJ) from 2020 envisages the construction of two nuclear power plants with a total capacity of 6-9 GW by the company 100%. to the State Treasury, Polskie Elektroownie Jądrowe (PEJ) as investor and operator. The previous government named the Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium as the partner for the first power plant. It should be built in the Lubiatovo-Kopalino area of Pomerania. The Ministry of Climate has announced that the PPEJ will be updated this year. The program of construction of SMR in Poland is planned.
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